Malawi Genealogical Records

Malawi Birth & Baptism Records

Births, Marriages & Deaths in the Protectorates (1895-1965)

Notifications forwarded by officials responsible for civil registration under administrative ordinances in Nyasaland, Kenya, Somaliland, Uganda, Sudan, Palestine, Sarawak, Malaya, including Johore and Selangor, and British North Borneo.

Newspapers Covering Malawi

Name Card Index to AP Stories (1905-1990)

An index to over 2.1 million people mentioned in Associated Press stories, including name, subject, location, date and a reference to the article.

AP Stories & Newsfeatures (1937-1985)

An index to and digital images of hundreds-of-thousands of world newspaper articles.

Subject Card Index to AP Stories (1937-1985)

An index to around 500,000 Associated Press articles.

Malawi Directories & Gazetteers

CIA World Factbook (1994)

A statistic and descriptive gazetteer of nations.

World Foreign Gazetteer (1998)

Useful for locating places, this searchable gazetteer gives brief details, latitude and longitude for more than 1.5 million features, places and regions throughout the world.

Malawi Cemeteries

Billion Graves (1200-Present)

Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.

Malawi Histories & Books

Ancestry Member Stories (6000 BC-Present)

Over 7 million remembrances and historic details submitted by Ancestry members. Useful for local historians.

Ancestry Member Photos & Documents (6000 BC-Present)

Over 60 million historic photographs and documents submitted to Ancestry. This rich collection contains many rare sources of interest to local historians and will be relevant to most genealogical research.

Malawi Occupation & Business Records

Cricket Archive (1844-Present)

A database of cricket scores and players.

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Malawi

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Ancestry Member Family Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A compilation of lineage-linked family trees submitted by Ancestry users. The database contains over 2 billion individuals and is searchable by numerous metrics.

Ancestry World Tree (6000 BC-1997)

A collection of legacy trees submitted by Ancestry users containing nearly 400 million individuals.

Malawi Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Malawi Maps

Old Maps Online (1497-2010)

An interactive index to thousands of maps covering the world, continents, countries and regions. The majority of maps cover Britain and Ireland.

Most Common Surnames in Malawi

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequency
1Banda688,9621:25
2Phiri473,5111:36
3Nyirenda186,2521:92
4Chirwa153,8901:111
5Mwale143,9821:119
6Nkhoma136,4281:125
7Mkandawire132,7681:129
8Gondwe126,8081:135
9Kamanga98,6021:174
10Mhango86,0811:199
11Munthali78,7621:217
12Moyo76,9321:223
13Mbewe74,9191:229
14Tembo72,7751:235
15Jere72,4881:236
16Kumwenda71,1291:241
17Manda68,9591:248
18Msiska60,1501:285
19Ngwira59,3911:288
20Kaunda56,4901:303
21Nyirongo52,6471:325
22Nkhata52,2031:328
23Mvula47,5241:360
24Nyasulu44,8051:382
25Chisale44,0991:388
26Gama43,5501:393
27Mhone41,4591:413
28Kamwendo40,7791:420
29Zimba39,1851:437
30Soko36,1521:474
31Mtambo33,0681:518
32Chavula32,9371:520
33Magombo32,6761:524
34Msukwa32,6501:524
35Mphande32,5191:526
36Kazembe32,0221:535
37Lungu31,9701:535
38Chunga31,1331:550
39Shaba29,9311:572
40Mussa29,5651:579
41Kondowe29,3561:583
42Chipeta29,2771:585
43Longwe29,0941:588
44Nyondo28,6241:598
45Ngoma28,5461:600
46Saidi27,4211:624
47Chirambo26,8991:636
48Kachingwe26,7421:640
49Msowoya26,6901:641
50Chiwaya25,6181:668
51Bwanali25,5391:670
52Luhanga24,7551:692
53Kayira23,4221:731
54Mtonga22,8991:748
55Samson22,4021:764
56Kayange22,3241:767
57Harawa22,2201:770
58Malunga22,0891:775
59Hara21,9321:781
60Mponda21,8541:783
61Kalua21,7751:786
62Chiumia21,4611:798
62Juma21,4611:798
64Ngulube21,2001:808
65Dickson20,4421:837
66Mwafulirwa19,9711:857
67Moses19,7101:869
68Zulu19,5791:874
69Chisi19,5531:876
70Mumba19,3441:885
71Ndhlovu19,1611:893
72Chawinga18,9781:902
73Mbale18,7431:913
74Kaonga18,6381:919
75Maluwa18,1151:945
75Mwanza18,1151:945
77Chibwana18,0631:948
78Maseko17,7231:966
79Mwandira17,4101:983
80Yohane17,3831:985
81Mwase17,3311:988
82Mandala16,9911:1,008
83Samuel16,8081:1,019
84Mughogho16,7301:1,023
85Zgambo16,4421:1,041
86Saka16,3901:1,044
87Tambala16,1551:1,060
88Botha15,9721:1,072
89Majawa15,8411:1,081
89Masamba15,8411:1,081
89Sichali15,8411:1,081
92Frank15,8151:1,082
93Ng'ambi15,6841:1,092
94Jumbe15,2401:1,123
95Khonje15,1351:1,131
96Kawonga15,0311:1,139
96Maganga15,0311:1,139
98Makina14,6131:1,171
99Nkosi14,5601:1,176
100Singini14,5341:1,178
101Gomani14,4301:1,186
102Mlenga14,3771:1,191
103Chimwaza14,3251:1,195
104Mangani14,2731:1,199
105Mfune14,1941:1,206
106Chilongo14,0111:1,222
107Milanzi13,7501:1,245
108Kalonga13,6981:1,250
109Sakala13,5671:1,262
110Makawa13,5411:1,264
111Thom13,4891:1,269
112Master13,4361:1,274
113Makwinja13,4101:1,277
114Chimaliro13,3841:1,279
115Patrick13,3581:1,282
116Kanyenda13,3061:1,287
117Kamoto13,2791:1,289
118Chikopa13,2531:1,292
119Chabwera13,0961:1,307
120Josephy13,0441:1,312
121Maulidi12,9921:1,318
122Kambalame12,9401:1,323
123Ngambi12,9131:1,326
124Chinyama12,8871:1,328
125Kaliati12,8091:1,336
126Matola12,6781:1,350
127Robert12,6001:1,359
128Simwaka12,4951:1,370
129Chimwala12,4171:1,379
130Matemba12,3651:1,384
131Ndalama12,2861:1,393
131Nkhonjera12,2861:1,393
133Kaira12,1551:1,408
133Kanyika12,1551:1,408
135Sibale12,1291:1,411
136Chima12,1031:1,414
136Chiona12,1031:1,414
138Kapalamula12,0771:1,417
139Bandawe11,9991:1,427
140Kalima11,9461:1,433
141Mzumara11,9201:1,436
142Selemani11,7631:1,455
143Moffat11,7111:1,462
144Ng'oma11,6851:1,465
145Chimombo11,6331:1,472
145Julius11,6331:1,472
147Kayuni11,5801:1,478
148Zuze11,4761:1,492
149Simbeye11,4231:1,499
150Petro11,2401:1,523
151Mwalwanda11,2141:1,527
152Msuku11,1621:1,534
153Mulenga11,0841:1,544
154Mphepo11,0051:1,556
155Adam10,9791:1,559
155Bonongwe10,9791:1,559
157Chanza10,9531:1,563
158Chimenya10,8741:1,574
159Kathumba10,8481:1,578
160Sambo10,7961:1,586
161Kaipa10,7441:1,593
161Mdala10,7441:1,593
163Luka10,6921:1,601
163Nkhwazi10,6921:1,601
165Elias10,6651:1,605
166Kamwana10,5871:1,617
166Magawa10,5871:1,617
166Sikwese10,5871:1,617
169Alfred10,5611:1,621
170Chitsulo10,4821:1,633
170Nthala10,4821:1,633
172Steven10,3521:1,654
173Matewere10,2991:1,662
173Wyson10,2991:1,662
175Chimbalanga10,2731:1,666
176Kaponda10,2471:1,671
176Singano10,2471:1,671
178Lipenga10,2211:1,675
179Chihana10,1951:1,679
180Chikuse10,1691:1,683
181Gausi10,1431:1,688
182Misomali10,0901:1,697
183Chibwe10,0641:1,701
183Magalasi10,0641:1,701
185Mithi10,0381:1,705
186Nyoni9,9861:1,714
187Kabango9,9601:1,719
188Sibande9,9071:1,728
189Nguluwe9,8551:1,737
190Sitima9,8291:1,742
190Theu9,8291:1,742
192Maulana9,7501:1,756
193Mtambalika9,6981:1,765
193Mwenda9,6981:1,765
195Kachepa9,6721:1,770
195Sichinga9,6721:1,770
197Kalulu9,6201:1,780
197Kapito9,6201:1,780
199Matope9,5941:1,784
199Musukwa9,5941:1,784